Inflatable gas bag having auxiliary gas pockets

ABSTRACT

An inflatable gas bag having auxiliary gas pockets is compose of a plurality of gas pocket units, each of gas pocket units includes a main gas pocket of bigger width and a plurality of auxiliary gas pockets of smaller width. A welding line is located between a main gas pocket and an auxiliary gas pocket, and between two auxiliary gas pockets. The conduits are arranged on said welding lines in a predetermined distance, through which gas in the main gas pocket and a plurality of auxiliary gas pockets can be transferred. The gas pocket units are isolated such that gas can not be transferred between each other. In case any main or auxiliary gas pockets are broken, gas could still be contained in other gas pockets units. The present invention provides a plurality of auxiliary gas pockets to absorb the pressurized gas from main gas pocket during impact and therefore be able to protect articles from exterior impact more effectively.

BACKGROUND OF THE IVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to an inflatable gas bag having auxiliary gas pocket and particularly to an gas bag that is composed of a plurality of gas pocket units, each of gas pocket units includes a main gas pocket of bigger width and a plurality of auxiliary gas pockets of smaller width. The gas in the main gas pocket and a plurality of auxiliary gas pockets can be transferred through conduits. The inflatable gas bag of the present invention is able to protect articles from exterior impact more effectively.

2. Brief Description of Related Art

Traditional device for protecting articles packaged therein is bubble wrap. It is able to absorb exterior impact by a plurality of uniform air pockets. The ability of absorbing impact is limited because the air pockets are too small.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,002 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,920 disclose a container having a wall member, a front panel, and a rear panel. The rear panel, the front panel and the wall member is a unitary, blow molded member including a generally rigid shell, and a plurality of flexible membranes each of which has a periphery and a surface. The flexible membranes are bonded to the generally rigid shell. The surfaces of the flexible membranes are separated from the generally rigid shell to form a plurality of unbounded areas between the surfaces of the flexible membranes and the generally rigid shell. Air is contained within the unbounded areas, thereby forming a plurality of air pockets between the flexible membranes and the generally rigid shell. Most of the air pockets may be broken at the same time under severe mechanical shock when over pressure build up in the bubbles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable gas bag having auxiliary gas pockets which absorb the high pressure gas in main gas pockets during impact, to avoid the main gas pockets broken. Due to damping effect when gas is force to flow from main gas pockets to auxiliary gas pockets through valve in between, impact energy are dissipated more effectively.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable gas bag having auxiliary gas pockets, which is able to protect articles from exterior impact more effectively.

In order to achieve the preceding objects, the inflatable gas bag having auxiliary gas pockets is compose of a plurality of gas pocket units, each of which includes a main gas pocket of bigger width and a plurality of auxiliary gas pockets of smaller width, a main gas pocket is wider than an auxiliary gas pocket in a predetermined width, a welding line is located between a main gas pocket and a auxiliary gas pocket, and another welding line is located between two auxiliary gas pockets, conduits are arranged on said welding lines in a predetermined distance, through which gas in the main gas pocket and a plurality of auxiliary gas pockets can be transferred, a gas pocket unit is side by side with another, and a welding line without any conduit is located between two of them, said gas pocket units are isolated that gas can not be transferred between each other, thereby, in case any main or auxiliary gas pockets of the gas pocket units are broken, gas in other gas pockets remain intact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detail structure, the applied principle, the function and the effectiveness of the present invention can be fully understood with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the obverse side of the inflatable gas bag of the present invention which is uncharged with gas;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the reverse side of the inflatable gas bag of the present invention, uncharged with gas;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating both of the obverse and reverse side of the inflatable gas bag along line 3-3 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the obverse side of the inflatable gas bag of the present invention while gas is charging;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view along line 5-5 shown in FIG. 3 while gas is charging;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view along line 5-5 shown in FIG. 3 while gas is stops charging;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the present invention while the inflatable gas bag is fully expanded by the charged gas; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating another preferred embodiment of present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the inflatable gas bag of the present invention is composed of a plurality of gas pocket units 10. Each of gas pocket units 10 includes a main gas pocket 11 having bigger width and a plurality of auxiliary gas pockets 121, 122 having smaller width. The two auxiliary gas pockets are shown in the figure as example, and is not meant to limit the number of auxiliary gas pockets for the invention. The width of the main gas pockets 11 are 1˜2 centimeters wider than auxiliary gas pockets 121, 122. By way of example only, if a main gas pocket 11 is formed as three centimeters in width, the auxiliary gas pocket 121, 122 may be formed about two centimeters in width; or if a main gas pocket 11 is formed as four centimeters in width, the auxiliary gas pocket 121, 122 may be formed about three centimeters in width. A welding line 31 is located between a main gas pocket 11 and first auxiliary gas pocket 121,and another welding line 31 is located between first auxiliary gas pocket 121 and second auxiliary gas pocket 122. Conduits 30 are installed on welding lines 31 by a distance, for example of 10˜15 centimeters, such that gas in the main gas pockets 11 and first and second auxiliary gas pockets 121, 122 can be interconnected through conduits 30. However, a gas pocket unit 10 is side by side with another, and a welding line 32 is located in between, and there are no conduits be installed on said welding line 32. The gas pocket units 10 are isolated and gas can not be exchanged between each other. Thereby, when any main gas pockets 11 or first or second auxiliary gas pockets 121, 122 are broken, gas in which have left out, the else not broken gas pockets units still have gas in it. Besides, each of gas pocket units 10 can be different in sizes and shapes to match up the articles to be wrapped. There is a gas inlet 2 on side of the inflatable gas bag 1, a gas channel 14 extend from the gas inlet 2 and is connecting to each of main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122, and gas can be entered though the gas channel 14. When the inflatable gas bag 1 is charged with gas from the gas inlet 2, gas will go along the gas channel 14 to enter each of main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122 and inflate them.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,the FIG. 2 shows the reverse side of the inflatable gas bag 1 when it is uncharged with gas, and the FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view including the obverse and reverse side of the inflatable gas bag 1 along line 3-3 shown in FIG. 1. The inflatable gas bag 1 is composed of two films, upper film 21 and lower film 22, which are made of plastic or similar materials. The periphery of said films is pressed welding along line 35 by high temperature, which seal up the inflatable gas bag 1 and be sure gas will not escape. Welding lines 31, 32, 35 are formed by binding upper and lower films 21, 22 together using hot press. The check valves of the gas pockets are composed of two films, upper valve film 25 and lower valve film 26 of appropriate length, which are placed between upper and lower films 21, 22. And an anti-welding layer 33 locating in gas channel 14 is placed between upper and lower valve films 25, 26. It is to avoid upper and lower valve films 25, 26 binding together while the welding line 36 is formed by hot press. The welding line 36 located at the pocket inlet 45 of the gas pocket units 10 is formed by hot pressing on films 21 and 22 too. In this way, said anti-welding layer 33 allow gas charging though upper and lower valve films 25, 26 at pocket inlet 45 found in each main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122.Still Referring to FIG. 1. There are welding spots 34 on the upper and lower valve films 25, 26. They are formed with upper film 21, upper valve film 25 and lower valve film 26 stick together by hot press, and can be a shape of circle or other else. The upper and lower valve films 25, 26, anti-welding layer 33 and welding spots 34 together act as check valves, which be able to seal the pocket inlet 45 of each gas pocket units 10 when the inflatable gas bag 1 is charged with gas, and gastight of gas pocket units 10.

Further, folding lines 41, 42, 43, 44 are appropriately located at each main and auxiliary gas pocket 11, 121, 122, in order to allow bending of each main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122, after the bag is charged with gas. Successive folding at 35, 41, 42, 43, 44 will form a closed envelope to protect article inside against impact from any direction.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the inflatable gas bag 1 is charged through the gas inlet 2 with gas, the gas will go along the gas channel 14 and enter each of main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122. Said welding spots 34 allow enter main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122 easily. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, which illustrate a sectional view of charged main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122 along line 5-5 shown in FIG. 3. After charging, the upper valve film 25 and the lower valve film 26 will be pressed tightly toward upper film 21 by high pressure in main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122. The welding spots 34 bind upper film 21, upper valve film 25 and lower valve film 26 together by hot press. Therefore upper and lower valve films 25, 26 will be pressed toward upper film 21 instead of the lower film 22. The upper and lower valve films 25, 26, and upper film 21 are made of plastic or similar film materials, which will close pocket inlet 45 and gastight each main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122 while upper and lower valve films 25, 26 are pressed toward upper film 21. Thereby, the main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122 contain gas, and the welding spots 34 assist gastight effect.

Referring to FIG. 7, once each main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122 is full of gas and expanded after inflating operation, the inflatable gas bag 1 can be transformed into a three-dimensional bag by bending the folding lines 41, 42, 43, 44 respectively. Every main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 121, 122 acts as wall to define a volume that articles can be contained and to protect articles from exterior impact. After the inflating operation, the gas channel 14 flattens again because there is no gas contained. Thereby, the flattened gas channel 14 just covers the opening 50 which is the entrance of the inflatable gas bag 1. Because the width of main gas pocket 11 is bigger than first or second auxiliary gas pockets 12l, 122, the main gas pocket 11 will be thicker than first or second auxiliary gas pockets 121, 122 after charged with gas. When the inflatable gas bag 1 suffers from exterior impact, the main gas pocket 11 will absorb the impact and be compressed first, and the pressurized gas in the main gas pocket 11 will be pressed into first auxiliary gas pocket 121 via conduit 30, and the pressurized gas in the first auxiliary gas pocket 121 will then be pressed into second auxiliary gas pocket 122 via conduit 30, and so on. The process will be continued until pressure in first and second auxiliary gas pockets 121, 122 and main gas pockets 11 is equalized. Therefore, the main gas pockets 11 could avoid breaking during impact due to the release of the pressurized gas into first and second auxiliary gas pockets 121, 122, and be able to suffer higher exterior impact. Further, gas pocket units 10 are side by side with another, and welding lines 32 are located between gas pocket units 10. The gas pocket units 10 are isolated between each of them. Therefore when any one of gas pocket units 10 is broken, the other units still contain pressurized gas. And the inflatable gas bag 1 is still capable of protecting articles from exterior impact.

FIG. 8 illustrates another preferred embodiment of present invention. A main gas pocket 11 accompany with only one auxiliary gas pocket 12. In another word, each of gas pocket unit 10 includes a main gas pocket 11 of bigger width and another auxiliary gas pocket 12 of smaller width. Further, while the location of welding lines 31, 32 is shifted, the shapes of main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 12, 121, 122 can be changed. Shapes of rectangle, rhombus, circle . . . etc. can be arranged.

While the invention has been described with referencing to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or variations may be easily made without departing from the spirit of this invention, which is defined by the appended claims. 

1-8. (canceled)
 9. An inflatable gas bag having auxiliary gas pockets comprising an upper film a lower film; a plurality of gas pocket units which are isolated so that gas can not be transferred between each other, and side by side between each, and consist of a main gas pocket and a plurality of auxiliary gas pockets; a welding line having conduits sat between main gas pocket and auxiliary gas pocket and between two auxiliary gas pockets; a gas inlet on one side of the inflatable gas bag; a gas channel extended from the gas inlet and connecting to each of main and auxiliary gas pockets , though which gas can be entered; characterized in that the width of main gas pocket is bigger than that of auxiliary gas pockets, therefore the main gas pocket will be thicker than auxiliary gas pockets after charged with gas, the main gas pocket will absorb the impact and be compressed first, and the pressurized gas in the main gas pocket will be pressed into auxiliary gas pockets via conduit when the inflatable gas bag suffers from exterior impact.
 10. The inflatable gas bag having auxiliary gas pockets as defined in claim 9, wherein the width of main gas pocket is bigger than auxiliary gas pockets at least 1 centimeter. 